How to Spend Your Free Time (Girls)

Part 1 of 4:

Relaxing With Personal Time

1. Soak in the bathtub. Fill your tub with warm water, and make sure the temperature isn't too hot for you. Pour in some bubble bath and soak in bubbles, or throw in a bath bomb to add some fun and color to your bath. Either way, you'll feel relaxed in no time. Soak for about 20 or 30 minutes--or until you get pruny!

2. Listen to music and dance. Play your favorite CD or put on a playlist. Turn up the volume, follow the beat, and move to the rhythm. Exercise will destress you, and uptempo music will boost your mood. Dance for just a few songs or a few albums! ^{[1] X Research source}

3. Meditate to clear your mind. Sit straight and take some deep breaths. Fill up your lungs all the way with air, and exhale as deeply as you can. Repeat this for five or ten minutes. Use a timer, and focus on your breath until time is up. Deep breathing and staying in the present moment will make your stresses disappear while filling some time.
   1. For deeper relaxation, look up 'guided meditation' videos on the internet and follow along. ^{[2] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source}

4. Take a nap to catch up on some zzzs. This is especially helpful if you are busy or tired from a long day. You can nap for 20 minutes or 1 hour, whatever feels right and works with your schedule.

5. Watch a movie. Turn on a classic or one you've never seen before. Use DVDs or try streaming services like Netflix or Hulu. You can also substitute for a television show if you prefer. If you have the time, binge-watch your favorite program!^{[3] X Research source}

6. Start an arts and crafts project. Find a DIY tutorial and get creative! Search for DIY activities online, like making home decorations, creating a personalized gift, or repurposing old clothing. Also try making jewelry, scrapbooking, or painting.
   1. Buy coloring books and fill in the pages. There are a ton of coloring book options depending on your age. Grab some colored pencils, markers, or crayons, and flip open to a fun page. If you run out of time, you can easily stop working and pick up where you left off. ^{[4] X Research source}

7. Read a book. Reading helps you unwind by taking you out of yourself and into a different narrative. Grab a favorite or a new best seller and start reading to relax and spend time. ^{[5] X Research source}

Part 2 of 4:

Having Fun by Yourself or with Others

1. Hang out with your friends. What's more fun than hanging with your friends? Grab a few pals and get brunch at a new restaurant. Have a girls day with a trip to the nail salon and a sleepover. Rent some movies and make some popcorn. Spend time with a few people, or invite everyone!

2. Go shopping. Visit a shopping mall, department store, thrift shop, or grocery store. Treat yourself to something nice, or keep your spending within a budget. You can also do this while spending time with friends or family! ^{[6] X Research source}

3. Surf the web. Explore the internet by browsing social media sites, looking up something of interest, or reading neat articles or news stories. Use Google to learn more about things that interest you, such as fashion trends, new recipes, or current events.

4. Visit a nearby city. Travel to a city within an hour or two from where you live, and spend the day there. Try a restaurant, walk around shops, and try a museum or gallery. Exploring something new is exciting and fun way to spend time.

5. Decorate for the upcoming holidays. Depending on the time of year, find decorations for the next holiday and hang them around your house. Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are great times to decorate.

Part 3 of 4:

Exercising and Getting Active

1. Take a walk or go jogging around your neighborhood. Go outside for a walk or jog, and exercise for at least 20 - 30 minutes. You can also go to a park.
   1. You can go in a loop so you'll come back around the opposite way from where you started, or you can go to a spot in particular and turn around.^{[7] X Research source}

2. Go for a hike. Drive to a nearby park and find a trail to hike. Getting out in nature is a great way to spend your free time while exercising or exploring someplace new.^{[8] X Research source}

3. Try an exercise class like yoga or pilates. A class can be a fun and interactive way to learn a new exercise. Yoga classes can relax you, and pilates will get you moving. Other classes you can try include spin classes or zumba.^{[9] X Research source}

4. Join a sports team. Sign up for softball or soccer. This will give you a way to consistently spend your free time every week. You will not only exercise but also meet new friends and learn what it's like to be in a team. ^{[10] X Research source}

5. Go to the gym. The gym can be a space for you to spend time in the morning, or you can go after school or work. Try to do cardiovascular exercises like using the treadmill or elliptical machine as well as building muscle with weights or machines.^{[11] X Research source}

6. Work out at home. Turn on an exercise DVD or watch a video online. There are a ton of videos you can choose from, like circuit training, yoga, or pilates. You can also watch videos that focus on particular parts of your body, like abdominals, chest, or arms.

Part 4 of 4:

Learning Something New

1. Practice a new language. Use references like books, phone applications, or websites to help you learn and rehearse words in different languages. You can also get a tutor or take language classes. Try Spanish, French, German, Chinese, or Japanese. And if you already know some basic German, for example, you could always take a flexible online class with a professional teacher to improve German proficiency. You could become fluent in no time. ^{X Research source}

2. Listen to a podcast. There are podcasts on a wide variety of subjects, from cooking, to art, to history, to sports--anything you can name. You can listen to podcasts on phone apps like YouTube or online. Search for one you like and press play.^{[13] X Research source}

3. Go to the library. You can look for a new, interesting book, and borrow things like CDs, movies, and e-books. Sit and read for awhile, or bring your laptop and get some personal work done, like budgeting or scheduling.^{[14] X Research source}

4. Visit an arts or history museum. While museums are popular and fun destinations, you can also learn quite a lot when visiting one. Pick a topic you'd like to learn more about, such as modern art, civil war history, or animals, and visit a museum near you that features artifacts on your topic.^{[15] X Research source}

5. Find a new recipe and try it out. Learn how to make a new dish or dessert. Use recipe books or search for one online. You can use ingredients you already have at home, or go shopping based on what the recipe calls for.
   1. For example, bake cookies, brownies, or a cake. ^{[16] X Research source}

6. Watch a documentary. Find one that seems interesting on DVD, Netflix, Hulu, or online. Documentaries can take up 20 minutes or 2 hours depending on the topic and director. You can learn things like biographies on politicians, explorations to the jungle, or controversial moments in history. ^{[17] X Research source}

7. Start a garden and grow your own food. Learning to start a garden is a fun way to spend your free time, and you will also be able to grow produce to use while cooking. Start simple with an herb garden or salsa garden, or plant a variety of vegetables. Either way, you'll grow your own ingredients to use in the kitchen.^{[18] X Research source}

8. Get a head start on upcoming school assignments. Work ahead on homework assignments, or study for your upcoming midterm. It may not be super fun, but you'll feel much better if you get those pesky assignments out of your way!